The first thing that struck them was how much weight Julia had lost. She didn't look bad, not yet, but another couple of pounds and she'd look sickly. Emaciated, even.

Everyone had been quiet all morning, even Suzanne felt herself tip-toeing around her big sister. Julia seemed oblivious of the tension, or if she knew, she was keeping quiet about it.

Mary Jo didn't know exactly what it was, but something was off about her normally elegant boss. The energy seemed frantic, the pace was almost panicked… it was as if Julia was being motivated by some unseen force driving her to work at a pace that was just a bit too quick to be held for any period of time. She couldn't put a finger on what it was, but Mary Jo knew that Julia was going through more than she was letting on.

The incident at the hospital had been covered up. Suzanne had told everyone who asked that Julia had simply collapsed from exhaustion. For anyone who knew the elder sister, it was a believable story. So without any reason to doubt it, everyone had accepted it. Even Suzanne found it easier to believe that her unshakeable big sister had simply succumbed to dehydration and sleep deprivation. No way she had any sort of mental problems.

Charlene had blocked the ugly truths from her mind as well; it was her normal M.O. She had gotten a glimpse of her boss's arm when she reached for the mail, and it looked normal. No way she had taken a razor to the arm! Wouldn't she have scars or stitches or something?

Julia was working, albeit at a fast pace, but she was working nonetheless. She was returning Charlene's smiles, her hair and makeup were perfect. Perhaps a couple of days of TLC at the hospital were what she needed. Julia stayed silent about the ordeal, so would she. Things would return to normal. Eventually.

Xxxxxxx

Bernice had come over to the house earlier to see everyone. Due to the fact that she was unaware that anything had happened to Julia, Bernice's earlier comment lingered in Anthony's mind as he drove back to Sugarbaker's from taking Bernice home.

"You need to take her into the lonely bin." Bernice said somberly.

"Take who to the loony bin?"

"Julia. Her spirit is gone."

"Now Bernice, I'm sure she's just having a hard time…"

"Don't baby me, Anthony. I know what it's like to lose the love of your life and I've seen it too. That's not her. She's about one step from mumbling to herself in a white room."

Xxxxxx

Julia had stayed awake all night to prepare for her first day at work. System jittery and alert from her medicine, she meticulously applied makeup on her scars.

When she was satisfied, she walked over to the scale. 109. Almost perfect. She smiled to herself.

Julia brushed her hair and sprayed it in place. Meticulously applying her mascara and foundation, she studied herself long and hard in the unforgiving mirror in front of her.

A mental war was raging inside her pearly skull. One part of her felt like dying and bleeding while the other wanted to be perfect and envied. She wanted to mask her breakdown with a façade of utter perfection.

She walked to her closet and froze before the door. Reese's clothes were still in there.

Julia's long fingers reached for the door and stroked the cool metal. The amphetamines roared through her system. Clenching her jaw, she threw the door open; her nose instantly picked up the scent of her dead lover.

With a rage fueled by drugs and grief, she yanked all of his clothes off their hangers and threw them out the door. Kicking and clawing and grinding her teeth, she maniacally gathered all the clothes in her arms and stormed down the stairs.

With a swift kick, Julia threw open the back door, the knob hitting the side of the house with a resounding smack.

Glancing around, Julia located the metal trash bin that she always used for raking leaves. Julia stuffed his clothes down into the can and went back inside. Reese's Ralph Lauren oxfords and Brooks Brothers button-downs looked foreign and lost.

Back in the house, Julia ran to the kitchen and grabbed a box of matches. In a basket underneath the sink, she located a gas can once used for the now electric stove.

Hands shaking, the eldest Sugarbaker made her way back outside. She looked into the trash can. How brightly the cotton and silk shown in the moonlight, she thought to herself.

Eyes fixed blankly ahead, Julia raised her arm and emptied the gas can onto the clothes, drenching them with the foul liquid. The can clanged against the cement as Julia released her grip. Her fingers, now eerily calm, opened the box of matches and withdrew a single stick. Sulfur invaded her skull as the match slid against the box, and a single flame illuminated the hot Georgia night.

Julia dropped the match and stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest, guarding the void that once held her heart.

The flames danced, the light casting beautiful shadows against Julia's porcelain face.

Xxxxxxxxxx

The royal blue Chanel suit Julia wore on her first day back to work looked perfect, but to Anthony, it looked out of place anywhere but a desk.

"Julia, why are you out here starin' at this trash can? Did I forget to empty it?"

Startled, his boss jumped a bit and turned to face him. Her face showed nothing. "Yes, as a matter of fact, it does need to be emptied." She gave an blank smile and strode back inside.

Anthony walked forward and looked down into the bin. Ashes filled the bottom and scorch marks lined the metal.

He thought it was odd, but he didn't say anything. Hell, everything about Julia Sugarbaker was odd nowadays. Shaking his head, he lifted up the bin and took it to the street.

Xxxxxxxx